Catoctin Creek Aqueduct
The Catoctin Creek Aqueduct is located east of Brunswick, Maryland, at Mile 51.5 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath. It cannot be accessed by vehicle, so reaching it requires hiking or biking a half mile (one way) upstream from the closest parking area, Lock and Lockhouse 29. See the Locks and Lockhouses web page for an interactive location map.
A canal aqueduct is a nifty little feat of engineering that solves the problem of what to do when a canal crosses paths with a creek or river. Both are waterways, but the canal is a self-contained channel and cannot temporarily merge with the river because all of its water will spill out uncontrollably. The solution is to elevate the canal over the waterway via a bridge. In essence, a large, elevated bathtub must be built—water cannot be leaking out of the bottom and sides. This is done with a thick layer of clay and stone on the bottom and solid stone walls for sides.
Illustration of the Catoctin Aqueduct when in use
Of the eleven aqueducts on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, the Catoctin Creek Aqueduct is considered the most beautiful. It was built in 1834 and survived intact until collapsing in 1973. Part of it had broken off in 1945, and it was in poor shape—actually sagging in the middle—so the collapse came as no surprise.
Damage sustained by the aqueduct in 1945
Collapse of the Catoctin Aqueduct in 1973
The National Park Service rebuilt the aqueduct between 2010 and 2011, but prior to that many of the original stones had washed away and were lost. Since the aqueduct was built using a series of three arches that required custom cut stones, replacement stones had to be exact matches. That’s like replacing missing pieces of a jig-saw puzzle by hand-cutting cardboard.
Part of the original railing is still in place. Look for the section that is a little taller than the rest of the railing.
Railing along the side of the Catoctin Creek Aqueduct
The view from one side of the aqueduct is Catoctin Creek flowing towards the Potomac, while the other side is a railroad bridge built by the B&O Railroad.
B&O Railroad bridge
View of Catoctin Creek in the direction of the Potomac River
While today’s hiking and biking trail runs through the middle of the aqueduct, when the canal was in operation this area was full of water. The actual towpath that the mules followed is along the top of the Potomac River-side retaining wall. Hikers are welcome to walk along it, but the easiest route for bikers is through the aqueduct.
Towpath along the retaining wall of the Catoctin Creek Aqueduct
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Last updated on April 21, 2020
